Roll gripping and upending truck



p 19552 J. c. BROERSMA ROLL GRIPPING AND UPENDING TRUCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1947 Set, 23, 1952 J. c BROERSMA A ROLL GRIPPING AND UPENDING TRUCK I I 7 Filed April 17, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 3 fig. 3.

W KM;

i atenteci Sept. 21 i, 11 952 UNI TED STATE OF 1F I 2,611,493 ROLL GBI'PPING AND UBENDI'NG'ffBUCK .J..CharlesBro.ersma, name Check, Michuassi fi to Cl rk Equ pme iomra Buchanan, I .Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April l7, 1947 SerialNo.- 741,968

(01- air-.115)

z lfilaims. v ,1.

1 This invention relates to material handlingapparatus and more particularly is directed to an attachment for industrial fork trucks for'handling bales or rolls of material and for transporting the same.

While the invention'may be broadly applied, insofar as th underlying principles are concerned for the grasping and handling of any type of rolled-or baled material, it has'been disclosed in thepresent application specifically in connection with rolls of light weightpaper productssuch as tissue and the like. However, it is to be under stood that the principlesof the present invention can-be used for other applications. -Primarily, the present invention contemplates a mechanism, carried by the elevating mast of a conventionaltypeof fork truck, which is adapted t'o' graspor clamp aroll or bale of material in either a horizontalor vertical position; and to upend or lay down such material, depending upon the -position in whichit isto bedeposited, with means forraising the load into transport position and carrying the same to a. place of deposit.

1 In a preferred-form of the present invention, there is provided a vertically fmova'ble :load supporting carriage mounted on the upright or. mast structure which carries thereon, interconnected clamparms, adaptedto behydraulically actuated to move toward o-raway from each other, for grasping an object therebetweenv by side pressure. The entire clamping mechanism is pivot.- ally mounted uponthe load supporting carriage in such manner that a secondhydraulic mechanismcanrotate the same from a horizontal position to a vertical position, whereby th material so clamped, may :be upeended andmcarried :in a vertical positiom-reducing'the over-all length of thetruck, so that it iscapab'le of negotiating narrow aisles and-corners. The mechanism also can beactuated to deposit the material in a vertical position or in ahorizontal position, depending upon the methodof storage or shipmentdesired.

One o-f the primary objects of the present-in! vention is to provide a fork'truck having means which is vertically movable on thetruck intoand out oftransport position, and which includes commonly actuated clamp arms {or grasping the material to-be transported and means for rotating that material irom a horizontal to a vertical position, all of such mechanism being disposed forvra rdly oi the-mast f--the -*vehicle, -and being operable'from thedriversposition.

' Another object of the present invention is-to provide a ihechanism-e-f this typewhich is simple iri cpera-ticni and --which is capable :or being "hy- ,A' still further objectof the presentinvention' is "to provide amechanismof this type whichis so designed as to provide for-adjusting ofithe clamp; arms to correspond with the. len th Of-tlie role. or bale to, be lifted. and which provides 51in?- alivide range of, gripping action, so that itmhvtbe used on rolls of various. diameters .or on 5123 135 of various-dimensions.

Another advantage of the present .inventionzis toiprovide hushioning' .meansgadahted to; rec the material when it isclampednwhereby H1; not be damaged by the operating mechanism and to scsupport thematerialdurmg transpor ation thereof that theflweieht. thereof is. carried by a load carrying. member of the movable parriage and. is not dependent. noon the .iriction .Df. the clamping mechanism.

@ther. obj sets. and advantages :of therprcsent in venti-on will appeanmore. hilly -.i-rom t e fo ow-- ing.dctailedndescriptionpwhic taken'nconiu tion withthe accompanying ,drawin slwil BS close to those skilled inthe art, the particul r on? struction and operation of a preferr.ed:;f0rm .-.c.. one present invention.

'In' thexdrawm Fi r 1 is a p r p ve view showinsanc tien of the industrial truck .and;t.. clamping and li ing mechanism of the present: invent on the clampingmechanism extending forwardly insub st-antiallya horizontal position,

Figure 2 is a correspond ng view of thertruck sand itshandling m s:lianismv raised in osv-e. ice-,1

positioniand 1 Figure 3311s a front view of. the mechanism shownin Figures 1 and 2.

Referring nowxin .d-etailuto the drawin s; there is indicated g era ly in Figur an; industrial truckfi, having. an operatorseat -6, -dispo-sed;- sub stantially. amid-ships of the vehicleahd provided with the. vertically extendingcuprightsor mast which may be pivotally mountedin .anyvides'ired location .on the driving axle. housing :8, for forward and rearward tilting movement. 'The axle 8, is provided withthe traction .zwheels 5, at pp;- posite ends thereof, which supply the .driivingxeifort for thevehicle, being driven from any suitable power supply, such as'an internal combustion engine, an: electric battery and motor or the like.

The .uprights i, which are, in this form .oithe inventiomof channelshape, are vertically fixed in position and carry therein the telesoopin cham nel members 1.0, which are connected together at their :upperiends by. the cross member-ml 2,;which,

in turn, has bolted thereto, the head I3 of a piston rod l4, operating in a hydraulic cylinder 15, which is supported between the uprights 1 and is seated in a base membe 16, extending between the lower ends of the uprights.

The uprights preferably have suitable brackets l1 extending rearwardly therefrom, and are provided with boss portions to which are connected tilt cylinders for rotating the uprights about their pivotal support on the axle housing 8.

The inner uprights ID are adapted to receive a load supporting carriage consisting of face plates l8, which are secured to a suitable frame member (not shown) having rollers guided for movement within the flanges of the inner pair of uprights [0. Suitable chain members l9 are trained over sprockets carried by the piston head l3, and are secured at one end to the upright carriage l8 and at the opposite end are anchored to the rear face of the stationary uprights 1, whereby, upon extension of the piston rod l4, relative the cylinder IS, the carriage I8 is vertically movable relative the mast 1, and the upright members ID are also movable to allow extension of th'eload supporting carriage to the full height of the uprights 1 and II] when in extended position. Such a construction is of more or less conventional form, and if desired, the upright mechanism may be of the type shown more in detail in the co-pending application of Wayne Gunning filed June 5, 1947, under Serial No. 152,593, and assigned to the same assignee of the present application which has matured into Patent No. 2,514,052.

For the purposes of the present invention, it is only necessary to consider that the carriage, including the face plates I8, is vertically movable relative the uprights and that the upright assembly is arranged for forward and rearward tilting about the lower ends of the stationary uprights 1. The tilting movement of the uprights is preferably controlled by the control lever 20, which actuates suitable valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure to the cylinders connected to the brackets I1. The control lever 22 controls the admission of hydraulic pressure to the cylinder I for raising and lowering the load supporting carriage.

Mounted on the front face of the face plates l8, there is provided a transverse plate member 23, carrying forwardly extending parallel ear members 24, which are located adjacent the opposite vertical edges of the plate 23. The forward ends of the ear member 24 are provided with boss portions receiving a cross shaft 25', extending therebetween, this cross shaft carrying adjacent the inner faces of the ear members 24, two depending plate members 26, which are joined together at their lower ends by the bottom plate 21, having a chamfered or bevel forward edge 28, whereby the U-shaped assembly 26-21 is mounted for rotational movement relative the face plate 23 and the ears 24.

' Mounted on the base plate 21, and extending vertically thereof, adjacent the plates 26, are vertical shaft members 36 which carry sleeve portions 32 in aline'ment therewith, the sleeve portion-s being rotatably mounted upon the shafts 30. Extending into the upper end of the sleeve portions 32 are shaft members 33, which are likewise rotatable within the sleeve members.

At the upper ends of the shafts 33, there are provided collar members 34, secured to'the shafts 33and carrying arm portions 35 rigidly secured thereto and welded to a suitable longitudinally extending clamp plate 36. The sleeve members 32, adjacent their lower ends, are provided with clamp brackets 31, which may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereto, and which are provided with rigid arm portions 38 extending to and secured to the clamp plates 36, adjacent the opposite ends thereof. The brackets or collars 34 are also provided, as shown clearly in Figure l, with rigid crank portions 40, which have links 42 and 43 respectively, pivotally connected to the ends thereof and connected at their opposite ends to the crank lever or rocker arm 44, secured to the upper end of an actuating shaft 45. This operating shaft 45, extends parallel to the shafts 3|] and 33, and is seated at its lower end or at the end adjacent the carriage I8, in a collar member 46, carried by the base plate 21.

Intermediate its ends and in alinement with the brackets 31, the shaft 45 is provided with a second crank arm 41, which is connected through the links 48 and 49, respectively, to crank arms 50 and 52, carried by the brackets 31. Upon rotation of the shaft 45 in one direction, the crank arms 44 and 41 are operated in such manner as to cause the clamp plates 36 to move toward each other. Reverse rotation of the shaft 45 causes the crank arms to be rotated in a laterally spreading direction.

Adjacent its lower end, the shaft 46 is provided with an actuating arm 53, which is non-rotatably clamped thereto, and which has the free end thereof pivotally connected to the clevice end 54 of a piston rod 55, extending into the hydraulic cylinder 56. This cylinder, at its opposite end, is provided with an end cap 51, adapted to be pivotally supported as by the pin 58, upon a bracket 59, welded or otherwise suitably secured to the vertical plate 26, immediately below the pivotal shaft 25, and inwardly of the supporting shaft 30.

The cylinder is adapted to have hydraulic fluid conduits 60 and 62 connected to opposite ends thereof. These conduits extend through suitable openings in the plate. 23, interconnected into transverse pipe members extending rearwardly of the plates to the left hand side thereof, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, from whence they are in communication with fluid conduit lines 63 and 64, adapted to extend vertically along the left hand side of the left upright member 1 and over a pulley member 65 carried on the upper end of the inner upright ID by means of the supporting plate 66. The conduits 63 and 64 are then trained downwardly over the pulley 61, supported on the rear face of the uprights 1, as by means of the bracket 69-, and then extend inwardly through the vehicle chassis to the valve member (not shown) controlled by the control lever 10. Actuation of this control lever admits fluid under pressure through lines 63 and 64 and thence through the transverse pipes and through the conduits 60 and 62 selectively to opposite ends of the cylinder 56, thereby actuating the pistons 55 in opposite directions for moving the clamp plates 36 toward or away from each other. 4

The face plate 23 is provided, adjacent its upper edge and substantially centrally thereof, with a bracket member 12, forming a pivotal support for one end of a second hydraulic cylinder 13, which is thereby mounted for pivotal movement at its base relative the load supporting carriage 18. The cylinder 13 has an extending piston rod 14, which, at its free end, is provided with a clevice '15, which is pivotally connected to a bracket-16,;- carried by a transverse spacing niem mi l-1:2

her "115.. extending. between the; two shatts =33; whereby-upon actuationoisthepistonwithin the; cylinder, the; entire clamping ,meehemsm; which 1 is vpivotally. supported. by the crossshaft 15,: may be raised from the horizontal position shown .in Fig. .1, to the verticalopositionshown in 2 andjii or may be lowered 'from'such; vertical positionto the horizontal-position. i a i The bracket 11', as well a the bracket H, "form. cross: bracing support for the parallel shafts 321 and in addition carry .arcuate means. '8 l which. may be rubber covered, tor engaging the :lateral surface otfthee roll orbale to act as an-additional cushioned,supportothereior and to proteetthe. same, when 7 the mechanism is. dropped. over irthe. materialsas shown in .Figure 1,, automatically pcsitionmgthe arms to engage oppositesidesuofi the. roller bale. v

- alfhe cylinder 13, has. the; hydraulic ifluid l} and .-18yconnected:to opposite endsthereoi, which lead to a second transverse:-.pipe member carried on-the rear face of the .platee23 and. are thence connectedrinto the two hydraulic fluidconduitsulfi and Bill. trained over thelpulieyzfiii' and the, pulleylil, and extending through the; floor board 82,, as shown in-ili'iguresl and 2,.there-being as t table slot, formed: ihthisfloor board :for reception of theseconduits. 'Ihese conduitslead toe control valve controlledby thecontrol. lever 83, which selectively admits fiuidunder pressure to either end of the'cylinder T3, to thereby orlower the, clamping mechanism ifrom.her-is! zontalto vertical position. q i

he conduits 63, 64.. ;'l91.an-d 81), after leaving. the pulley 6-1, extend through S table fpipe fittings carried by thesupportingoplate. 84,- mcunted on theuprigh-ts l and thence extenddownwardly through the floor boardtd the respectivecontrot valves controlled by theleversym and 8-3. The p rm ez o the. pulleys, 6'1 and 65 is to. automatioally talge up; the slack in. the conduits 63., 64. i8 and Blhas. the loadsupportingcarriage is raised relative the uprights, thereby-preventing these lines from becomingr-loose or moving into aoposition where theymight be'caught in the operating mechanisms t i understood. of ooursethat any suitable means for connecting. thecylinders 56 and. 13. to the fluid pressure system-may. be employed; but

that provision must. b made fortakingmp this.

.. lt:.'is.:thus believeduapparent :tiiat. have rpm-e vided. a. novel, type of clampingand :upaending mechanism for handling relatively lightweight olls-pr iba-lesi which .is s'impleziiei operation -aftd canrbe controlledbythe operatorofthe' vehlcle w thoutileavinsihis positionaonthevehicle;.r

lack duringthe vertioalxraising oitl'xeoclampmg;

mechani m the operation of :the device asthus: described; it; will be ap arent that if; a. roll or bale of ma-- terial indicated diagrammatically at Win-Figure. 1., is lying in; a, ,horizontal position, the operator ofthe machine approaches,suchba1e:or roll with the clamp arms 36: in. spreadpositio'n amt extend. ing. longitudinally on opposite sides; of the: roll. The load:ul li. 0rtinecarriage isthen lowered on. the uprights to a point where the clamp plates; 36 wil eng'agethe material at a point below the cente thereof; at-which time, the-,operator actu.-; ates ontrol lever- .0 to operate. the lates'iit, through the linkage described, moving. them. into. clamping-engagements.with the roll 85. This clamps the rollfor lifting movementandz, by operation of; controli'lever 83, the rollmayrthen. be; z p-ended: into position; such as. shown. in Figure 2 I-ti s-underst0od thattheoperator-will' move; the; carriage forwardly. so. that: thenbase plate 21 eneaeesx he end: 86.; 0t the-roll; so that upon vertical l p-ending movement,-; the weightof they. r ,o bale. wi l; be supportect on thisbasez.

iaeeclaeeae.momma By; light ..weielit, :I- do "not :meanithat the ma chines-is :incapablerof handling fairly heavy-1mm; terial; butinasmu'ch as "the clamping mechanism is :supnorted ;f0rward1y ofthe load. supporting, carria e; a certain percentage of: tnemoa adgyl of themachineis. dissipatedso that, 'forrexample,

an ndustrial truck ofr4000 1b. capacitymigh't have oth. side. -oi;-. the. iiprights-uand thus constitutinggan' additional load; which hastobe counter-"balanced by the machine. r I aware that various:change smay bemade in oertain details of the. constr-uctionuherein dis closed, and IL. thereioreldoenot intend to be limited: except: as. defined by "the scope and 'spititof the ppended claims... Iclaim; .q-z

1.. Means. for adapting an industrial truol e having av vertical mast at one end thereof-to the handlingoi rolls or. baled material comprising tsoliit capacity reducedito say 3500 lbs.-,. d-i1'ea loadsuppor'tina carriage vertically movable said mast, a load engaging mechanism 'havi ng a' transverse pivotal.mounting on said"carriage projecting forwardly thereof, said mechanism includinga transverse base plate, shaftmembere projecting normally to said base plate longitudi nally of said truck, parallel arm members carriedbysaid shaft members and interconnected for movement toward-orawayfrom eachother; said. arm members extending longitudinally of' 7 said truck, meanscarried by'said mechanism ior actuating said arm members to clampmaterial therebetween and means for rotating-"said mech anism withits mad about said pivotal mounting" into a vertical positiom said base plate seams;

vas: a load supporting bottom membewnee mechanismisinvertical position. a

J 2;. The mechanismof claim 1 wherein said ac tuating; means and said rotating means: each comprises hydraulically controlledmembers oper ablerfrom. thedriverspositionon said-truck 33.11); .combinatioii; m an industrial tr is having avertical' mastat oneend thereof, a load supporting carriage movable: 'v'ertioally said" mast and, having? lateraliyspac'ed' forwardlyproiectingrears, a load. engaging mechanismpivotallr supportedon said ears including an: inverted u shapedirameadaptedito fit1 over a, roll or mate rial extending 'longitudinally or sai'd trucl gj-later ally spac'ed longitudinally extending'arm. fii'emsu bersicarriect by saidirame SJiiZlLD1vQtQHym u w for. movementgztowardt and away fromeachotfi'ere o; rip; and release. saidxrolliof material}. an

meansbetweensaid carriage andsaidfinechanis for:- swinging; it; as: a; unit; from torwardiy. I

ampine. mechanism being on the-forward,

position to vertical position, and arcuate cushioned brackets intermediate said arm members for engaging the surface of material clamped between said arms.

5.11]. combination, in an industrial having a vertical mast at one end thereof, a load supporting carriage. movable vertically in said mast and having laterally spaced, forwardly projecting ears, 9. load engaging mechanism pivotally supported on said ears including a U-shaped frame, laterally spaced arm members carried by saidframe and pivotally mou'nted for movement toward. and away from each other, and means betweensaid carriage and said mechanism for swinging it as a unit from. forwardly projectin position to vertical position including a cylinder pivotally mounted at its base on said carriage and having an extending piston pivotally connected to said mechanism. I s i 6. ,Means for clamping and lifting an elongated roll of, paper .or the like adapted to be mounted onthe'load supporting carriage of an industrialtruck comprising a forwardly extending frame member having a transverse pivotal mounting at one end on said carriage, laterally spaced forwardly extending parallel shafts on said frame member, forwardly extending arm members of a length substantially equal to the length of said roll pivotally mounted on said shafts, means interconnecting said arm members for effecting conjoint movement of the latter into and out of. clamping positoin about said roll, and means for rotating said frame members about said mounting between a forwardly projecting position and a vertical position. v Y t '7. Means for clamping and lifting an elongated roll of paper or the like and adapted to be mounted on the load supporting carriage of an industrial truck comprising a frame member pivotally mounted on said carriage, laterally spaced, parallel shaftson said frame member, arm members of a length substantially equal to the length of said-roll pivotally mounted on said shafts, means interconnecting said armmembers for conjoint.

movement into and out of clamping position about said roll means for rotating said frame mmebers between. a forwardly projecting posi-:

tion and a vertical position, and a base plate on saidlframevmember normal to said arms. and.

adapted to engage the end of saidiroll for supporting-the weight thereof when said frame:'

member is in vertical'p'osition.

lelshafts on said frame member, arm members ofa length substantially equal to the length ofsaid rollpivotally mounted on said shafts, means interconnecting saidaarm members for conjoint movement;;into and out of clamping position about said roll. means for rotating said frame members between a forwardly proi'ectingiposi position.v

tion and a vertical position, and a.plurality of arcuat'e cushioning brackets. intermediate said shafts? for engaging thelateral surface of said roll when said arms. are moved into clamping 9. Means for clamping and lifting an elongated roll of paper. or the like and adapted tobemount ed on the load supporting carriage of anindus trial truck comprising a frame member pivotally mounted on said carriage, laterally spaced, parallel shafts on said frame member, arm members of a length substantially equal to the length of said roll pivotally mounted onsaid shafts, means interconnecting said arm-members for conjoint movement into and out of clamping position about said roll, and means for rotating said frame members between a forwardlyprojecting position and a vertical position comprising a remotely controlled fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder pivotally connected between said carriage and said framemember. v

10. The combination of claim 6' including-a hydrauliccylinder carried by said frame member for actuatingsaid arm interconnecting means.

"11.. Eor use "with an industrial truck having a vertical mast at one endthereof and including a load supporting carriage vertically movable on said mast, a forwardly extending load engaging mechanism rotatably supported at one end on said, carriageincluding-- an inverted U-shaped frame; hydraulic means between: said carriage andthe opposite endof said mechanism to move it from a vertical position'to ahorizontal forwardly projecting position, and forwardly extending parallel laterally spaced arm members pivotally mounted on said frame and movable toward and away from each other to clamp or'release material disposed therebetween.

12; The mechanism of claim ll'wherein said carriage and load engaging mechanism are interconnected by hydraulically controlled means for effecting. rotation of said mechanism relative to said carriage. l I

a 1-3. In ancindustrial truck having avertical mast at one end thereof a driver's seat disposed intermediate the ends of said truck, a load supporting carriage vertically movable in said mast, independent hydraulically controlled means for tilting said mast and'for raising and lowering said carriage, a load engaging mechanism rotatably mounted adjacent one end on said carriage, hydraulically controlled means for moving said mechanism from a forwardly projecting position to:a vertical position, parallel laterally spaced clamping arms carried by said mechanism and movable into and out of load clamping position, hydraulically controlled means for actuating said arms carried by said mechanism, and means adjacent said drivers seat for individually actuating any one of said hydraulically controlled means.

14. For use-with vertical mast with a vertically movable carriage thereon, a load engaging mechanism pivotally mounted atone end on said carriage, and projecting forwardly thereof, arms depending from an industrial truck having a 9 to form a support for one end of said material.

16. Means for adapting an industrial lift truck having a vertical mast at one end thereof with a vertically movable carriage guided therein to the handling of roll material comprising a face plate mounted on said carriage having laterally spaced ears, a load-engaging mechanism pivotally mounted adjacent one end between said ears and projecting forwardly therefrom, said mechanism including longitudinally extending parallel arms interconnected for conjoint movement toward and away from each other, a common rock shaft for actuating said arms to clamp roll material laterally therebetween, and means extendin between said face plate and the opposite end of said mechanism for upending the same about its pivoted end.

17. An attachment for an industrial lift truck having a vertical mast and a carriage guided for vertical movement therein comprising an inverted U-shaped frame mechanism pivotally mounted at one end on said carriage and projecting forwardly therefrom, longitudinally extending parallel laterally spaced arms carried by said mechanism and adapted to grip the sides of a roll of material over which said frame is disposed, and means for upending said frame about said pivotal mounting.

18. The attachment of claim 17 wherein said upending means comprises hydraulic cylinder means having one end mounted on said carriage,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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